Annealing tray



July 1, 1952 P. s. MENOUGH 2,601,980

- ANNEALING TRAY Original Filed Jan.. 9, 1947 I 4 Shets-Sheec l mun. s. MENOUGH.

ATIDRZVEYS.

P. S. MENOUGH July 1, 1952 ANNEALING} TRAY Original Filed Jan. 9, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 AmmvEYs.

y 1952 P. s. MENOUGH 2,601,980

ANNEALING TRAY Original Filed Jan. 9, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 )ZZ'ZU- L -J 1:217:14 L I J INVENTOR. PAUL 5. MENOUGH.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 1, 1952 ANNEALING TRAY Paul S. Menough, Rocky River, IOhio Continuation of application Serial No.

January 9, 1947. 1951, Serial No.

This invention relates generally to annealing trays and particularly to trays composed of a plurality of parts several of which may move to a limited'exte'nt relative to other parts.

This invention comprises means for constructing trays or basket bases from simple castings, from rolled sections orfrom a combination of castings and rolled sections. It isdirected primarily to such trays or baskets as are used in connection with commercial heating furnaces.

Heretofore trays for transmission through a jheatingfurnace have usually been made from one piececastings of some analysis that is heat resistant. Generally, small castings or forgings are supported on such trays as they are pushed, end to end, through a tunnel-like furnace. Consequently, the work supporting surface of the tray is an open grid with the openings of such size that none of the individual pieces being carried can possibly fall through the grid. The bars forming this grid extend both from side to side of the tray and from end to end. Wherever there is a juncture of these transverse and longitudinal ribs there must be a heavy section of metal that heats up and cools off out of time with the surrounding structure. Therefore, every heating and, cooling cycle sets up thermal strains of appreciable extent throughout the grid. Also, wherever heavy sections are present in any high alloy casting there is aconcentration of impurities which weaken and embrittle the structure just where strength and ductility are needed most. 7 r I Furthermore, such trays are loaded with as much work as can be placed on the load-bearing surface without danger of individual pieces joltingoif as the tray is pushed by successive stages through the furnace. They are heated, generally from a source of heat along the faceof the side walls. There is a space for circulation of .hot gases at the ends of the work on each tray. Consequently, the four sides of the tray heat up ,andcool oif at a fairlyuniform rate. The center of the tray, however, due to the chill of the work andno direct exposure to the heat, lags seriously behind the'four sides in arriving at a uniform temperature. These heretofore uncontrollable stresses, in connection with a service developed This application January 30, 208,460

12 Claims.

of the tray squareand parallel. If there is any play or lost motion betweenthe ends and the sides of tray, and such has generally been the case with fabricated trays heretofore constructed, one side can push ahead of the other side during progress through the furnace. Such distortion may be cumulative through the train so that the trays at the end may try to ride over the rail and jam the load of trays in the furnace. Even if this does not occur to the disastrous extent outlined above, as the trays get older in service they warp tojsome extent and any out of square position they assume will set up stresses that cause tray breakage. Furthermore, if the tray comes from the furnace with one side leading the other and is placed in service at the entrance end of the furnace it is then used as a strut to push the entire train a step through the furnace. However, thisstrut is now out of square and the push is not concentric on the long articulated column of heated trays. Every effort must be made to keep all stresses uniform in these structures as they are exposed to the very severe service to which they are subjected. Otherwise a short tray life will be realized and possiblya wreck in the furnace that will cause thefurnace to be shut down for repairs and the scrapping of a number of distorted and broken trays.

In my invention, I have eliminated the above uncertainties of previously designed furnace trays. The tray is held in square by tightly connecting the side and end rails while the center of the tray, on which the loadis concentrated, is made from sections which are free to expand and contract independently of their neighbors.

On all trays which carry a loadthrough a heating furnace, the center should be divorced from the more rapidly heated side and end members. Furthermore, I have constructed the individual tray members from the simplest possible sections. In the case of castings, this is of prime importance. In addition in these trays the center sections are divorced from the rapidly heated side and end members andall the parts, both center and peripheral, are of the simplest uniform section and embody no relatively large'and difiicultly heated and cooled metal masses. Also, the castings Ihave indicated as desirable in the trays of my construction, will be of most economical design from the viewpoint of the foundry in that'they are flat backs? and can be made in shallow dry sand cores and stacked in multiple for pouring-an important consideration in rollers.

sequently, in my tray design I have anchored the center bars and the longitudinal bars to each other and to the side frame members by mechanical means. In other words, I do not depend on welds to hold the structure in its fabricatedposition, they are only incidental to the mechanical interlocks, and not subjected to destructive reversals of stress.

Trays embodying the present invention comprise a rectangular, shape retaining frame including parallel support rails and transverse members connected rigidly thereto, andload carrying members secured to the frame for limited relative movement. Tie bars may extend paral- -lel to the support rails andbe connected to the load bar for limited relative movement. The support rails may be formed to run on rollers positioned in the furnace bottom or may carry These rollers may project from only one side of the tray or may be disposed symmetrically so as to project on opposite sides of the tray.

Those skilled in the art will gain a further understanding of my invention upon referrin to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thi specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of tray of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. i is a fragmentary view of another tray embodying this invention;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-8 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4 showing the portion of the side member of the tray 1 which is engaged with the end of the rail of the tray;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing the flared end of the rail of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of another tray embodying this invention and provided with rails;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view partly in section of the tray of Fig.9;

Figcll is a view taken on line ll-ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of still another tray of this invention;

Fig. 13 1s a side elevational view of the tray of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view taken on line l4-I4 of Fig. 12; Fig. 15 is a View taken on line l5l5 of Fig. 12;

* Fig. 16 is a view taken on line l6l 6 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 17 is a view taken on line l'l-l l of Fig. 13; and, V Fig. 18 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a load carrying member and. a tie bar of Fig. 1

tray at an intermediate stage in their assembly. In the modification of the present invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the illustrated tray comprises parallel rails 10, transverse members i l secured to the rails at their ends, load carrying members l3 extendin through the rails parallel to members ll, tie bars l5 extending parallel to the rails and operatively associated with mem- The several elements of plate [00 of each rail are spaced apart to define holes lOh, to receive load bars l3 and elongated openings Ms extending longitudinally along the neutral axes of the rail near the ends of the rail through which braces 2! may extend. The flat surfaces of parts Hlaof the rails are suited to run on rollers and the marginal flanges projecting beyond those surfaces serve to prevent the rails from running 011? the rollers.

Transverse members H are flat plates and are provided with notches 22 and openings 23. These members extend through the rails and the latter are disposed in notches 22. The end plates Hlb of the rails are welded to members II, as indicated at 24. Rails I0 andmembers ll, when so assembled, constitute a rectangular frame which is substantially rigid and which can be pushed through a furnace without being whacked out of square.

Load bars l3 are flat plates with notches M in their opposite edges'jto receive rails l0 through which they extend, and openings or holes through which tie barsextend. Load bars l3 are maintained in assembled position with rails H) by the plates [0c which are welded in place in the rails after assembly of .the load bars therewith.

Tie bars l5 are flat backs, have lugs 15a at their ends and notches H in their opposite edges to cooperate with load bars [3 through which they extend- These tie bars l5 are maintained in assembled position with members I l and I3 by barlike keepers I6 which are welded to members ll and l 3 adjacent to each intersection thereof with tie bar 15. v

As shown in Fig. 18,'tie bars and load bars of this tray are formed for interlocking engagement witheach other and with rails Ill. Openings l3a in bars l3 are elongated and aligned along the neutral axes of said bars, and notches H are spaced apart longitudinally of bars (3 to receive rails in, being slightly wider than the thickness of the rails. Openings [3a are also slightly'wider than the thickness of the tie bars, which are of substantially the same width as the load bars. Notches [1 in the edges of bars l5 are arranged in opposed pairs and are longitudinally spaced and slightly wider than the thickness of the load bars. As these parts are assembled together, as illustrated in Figs. 1-3, inclusive, the tie bars extend through openings 13a in the load bars and each pair of notches l 1 receives one of said load bars. Tie bars l5 are also provided with elongated openings l5a extending along the neutral axes of these bars to receive braces 2|, being in register diagonally of the tray with adjacent openings l3a. of the load bars.

Braces 2| are preferably rods extending diagonally of the tray and through the rails and load bars and tie members therebetween. These braces supplement the bracing'action afiorded by welds 24.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the tray of Figs. 1-3 includes a rectangular, substantially rigid, frame in which there are rails to run on supporting rollers and in which the load is carried by load bars and tie members which are assembled for limited movement relative to each other. Furthermore, the tray is reversible.

Figs. 4-8, inclusive, show modifications of certain of the parts of the tray of Figs. 1-3. The transverse members III are like members H as regardsnotches and apertures but are channel- .shaped in cross-section, as is shown inFig. 6.

Rails I09 are separate flat back castings which fit into correspondingly shaped notches in the flanges of members Hi and are welded there in place. Keepers l llflc are welded in place between --rai1 members I andcorrespond to keepers 'Iiic OfFigs. 13. Load carrying members I l3 are provided: with flanges .li3a whichserve as keepers for tie bars H5. These bars have flanges 5a which serve as keepersfor load bars H3. Keepers H6 may be welded to members Ill and H3 for maintaining members 1 I5 in assembled position, if desired.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9-11, in-

clusive, the rails ,30 are preferably reversible castings provided with rollers 3i mounted on shafts 32 secured to the rails and having hollow centers through which lubricant may be forced into the hub of the rollers 3| which rotate about the shafts. Transverse members 33, corresponding to members ll of Fig. l, are flat backs which extend through rails .30, have notches to receive the rails, and have flanges 33a projecting inward- 1y along the sides of the rails to which they are welded. The rails and transverse members 33 7 form a rectangular, suitably rigid,shape-maintaining frame.

Load carrying members 34, corresponding generally tomembers I3 of Fig. 1, extend through elongated holes in rails 38, have notches to receive the rails and have apertures or elongated holes 35 through which extend and by' which tie bars 36 welded to the rails adjacent to load bars 34 serve to maintain them in assembledposition through which-"tie bars extend; These load bars have flanges 49 at their top. edges to-iafford supports for articles .on 'thetray. "Pie bars 45 extend .througliholes'in, load bars 48 and have notches in their opposite edges to engage opposite sides of load bars.:48,'a's is clearlyshown' in Fig.

14; Keepers serve .to position tie :bars 45'rela tive to transverse'members43; P s

The tray" shown in Figs. I2-.-16,inclusive, like :thoseshownin earlierzfiguresghasa. rigid, rectangular frame and load :bars'and tie ba'rs'movable toa limited extent relative to eachpther.

l-Iowever, unlike those trays, it is notreyersible.

In assembling the tray 1 of. Figs.) 1-3;? for. instance, two transverse members H are-placed in a horizontal plane and threaded through holes in rails "I 0 near their ends, and then turned-into vertical planes with notches122 receiving rails 2H]. Load bars 13 are 1simi1arlythreaded through holesin the rails and turned into vertical planes to engage saidrails.v The two intermediate tie rods I5 are likewise threaded through holes in members ll and-'x bars i113 and-. -then turned through 90 to engagethose elements. Braces 2| are threaded through rails l0; bars and rods I5 andsecuredbto rails l0 by'welds, assh-own.

The two end tie rods l5'are 'threaded'through the end portions of members II "and bars "t3 and then locked in engagement therewith as derelative to each other and to the rails, and that the tray is reversible since rollers 3! project from opposite sides thereof.

'In the modification shown Figs. 12-17; inelusive, the rails 40 are preferably castings, a1-

thoug'l'i like rails 30 of Fig. 9 they maybe fabricated. Bhese rails 49 have rollers 4| 'rotatably mounted on shafts 42 which are fixedly attached to the rails and have hollow centers throu h which lubricant may be supplied through-the inner bearing surfaces of the rollers 4i. Transverse members 13, generally similar to members 33 of Fig. 9, extend through elongated holes in the rails, have apertures or holes 44 to receive end tie bars 45, an aperture 46 to receive tie bars 45 between the rails and notches to receive rails 40. Flanges 41 extending inwardly along the sides of rails 40 are welded thereto. Transverse members 43 and rails 40 thus form a ri id shapemaintaining frame which, however, is not reversible. Load bars 48 extend through elongated holes in rails 40 and have apertures or holes scribed. The assembly "is then' completed by welding rails l0 and members H together, welding plates I Be to the rails and welding keepers 16 to members ll-andbars l3, as illustrated.

The present application is aYcontinuation of my. copending application, Serial No. 721,106,

filed January 9, 1947,1later abandoned.

Having thus described the present invention so that others skilled in the art. may be amend 'understand and practice the same, I state'thatwhat I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is: y

. 1. A reversible annealing tray comprising par- "allel support rails'having their opposite sides in parallel planes, means-connecting,thelends of said rails and forming therewitharigid frame, load bars extending through said rails and'having limited movement relative thereto :and tie bars extending 'throughzsaid load bars 'and h'a'v ing limited movementrelative thereto, sai'd rails having channels open to opposite sides of said tray to engage and runonisupporting rollers. I

' -2. An annealing tray having top and bottom portions and comprising a rigid, shape maintaining, rectangular frame, four parallel support rails, parallel'load'bars and parallel tie bars dis;- posed at rightang'les to said load'b ars, said load bars and tie bars extending through saidframe and being connected thereto and to each-other for limited relative movement, said 'rails having channels with flaring ends-to receive guide means 'for directing movement of the tray and being secured together in spaced" apart pairs withpne channel of each pair'facing the top of the tray and the other channel facing the bottom of said tray.

3. An open grid annealing tray comprising parallel spaced apart support rails, rollers journalled in said rails, means connecting the ends of said rails and forming therewith a rigid frame, spaced apart load bars extending through elongated holes in said rails and having limited movement relative thereto, and tie bars extending through elongated holes in saidload bars and having limited movement relative thereto.

4. An annealing tray having parallel rails, rollers journalled in said rails and projecting beyond opposite sides thereof, means connecting the ends of said rails and forming therewith a rigid frame, load bars extending through elongated holes in said rails and having limited 5. A load bearing tray of the class described comprising a plurality of parallel, spaced apart beam-like members havingwebs and elongated holes through said'webs on their neutral'axes, spaced apart cross members of substantially the same width as said beam-like members spanning the space between the beams and extending through said holes and having notches in the edges of the cross members ofsuch a width as to engage the sides of the beams.

6. A tray of the class described consisting of a plurality of spaced apart equi-length beams with their webs arranged in vertical planes, a series of spaced apart vertical Webbed cross bars extending through holes in the beam webs, notches in the edges of the cross bars to engage the sides of the beams and hold them in spaced apart parallel relationship, means to hold the cross bars in predetermined positions, and tie bars independent of said beams andspaced therebetween and extending through-holes in said cross bars.

7. A load bearing tray of the class described comprising a plurality of load carrying bars having aligned tie bar-receiving elongated holes eX- tending therethrough longitudinally along their neutral axes, a plurality of tie bars of substantially the same width as said load bars and having opposed pairs of longitudinally spaced notches in their edges, said holesin the load bars being slightly Wider than the thickness of the tie bars and said notches being slightly wider than the thickness of the load bars, said tie bars extending through said holes in the load bars with each pair of notches receiving a load bar. a

. 8. An annealing load bearing tray of the class described comprising a rigid, shapemaintaining rectangular open grid frame includin a plurality of parallel rails, a plurality of parallel loadbars extendingthrough said rails and a plurality of tie bars extending through said load bars, said rails, said load bars and tie bars being of substantially the same width, the rails having elongated load bar-receiving holes extending longitudinally along their neutral axes, said load bars having pairs of notches in their edges spaced apart longitudinally thereof to receive the said rails, said notches being slightly wider than the thickness of the rails, said load bars also havin tie bar-receiving elongated holes extending longitudinally therethrough along their neutral axes to receive said tie bars and being slightly wider than the thickness of said bars, said tie bars having pairs of notches in their edges slightly wider than the thickness of said load bars to receive the latter.

9. An annealing tray comprising a rigid, shapemaintaining, generally rectangular frame including parallel members having elongated holes therethrough, transverse members disposed at right angles to said parallel members, projecting through said elongated holes and having notches in their edges to receive said parallel members, and load bars extending through elongated holes in said parallel members and having notche in their edges to receive the latter members.

10. An annealing tray comprising a rigid,

shape-maintaining, generally rectangular lira-me including parallel members having elongated holes therethrough, transverse members disposed at right angles to said parallel members, projecting through said elongated holes and having elongated holes and notches in their edge to receive said parallel members, load bars extending through elongated holes in said-parallel members and having notches in their edges to receive the latter members, and tie bars extending through said holes in the transverse members and load bars and having notches in their edges to receive the transverse members and load bars.

11. An annealing tray comprising a rigd, shape-maintaining, generally rectangular frame including parallel rails having elongated holes therethrough, transverse members disposed at right angles to said rails, projecting through said elongated holes and having notches in their edges to receive said rails, load bars extending through elongated holes in said rails and having notches in their edges to receive the rails.

12. A reversible annealing tray comprising a rigid, shape-maintaining, generally rectangular frame including parallel rails having elongated holes therethrough, transverse members disposed at right angles to said rails, projecting through said elongated holes and having notches in their edges to receive said rails, and load bars extending through elongated holes in said rails and having notches in their edges to receive the rails, said rails having surfaces exposed at each side of the tray to engage with, and support the tray on, tracks.

PAUL S. MENOUGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

